| This charming county map is noted for its border illustrations. These include a pair of Roman coins and a pair of supposed British coins. The lower right corner also shows a miniature plan of William Boswell's unsuccessful attemtp to repair the Breach of the bank of the Thames at Dagenham. However, the most interesting vignettes on this map can be seen on the left border, which illustrates two Deneholes. These were mysterious tunnels made into chalk hills whose exact function is still debated. They were known to have been mentioned in prehistory as Pliny mentions them in his Histories. Despite their antiquity and speculation, it is still unknown if they were mines for chalk extraction, defensive measures or places for ritual. [ESSEX1239] |